ShockHound

• 

  ShockHound 4 of 5

  
  

  The musical climate has changed a lot since AFI released 2006's DECEMBERUNDERGROUND; but instead of stagnating, this punk foursome have once again undergone their own evolution with CRASH LOVE. More straight-ahead and rock-oriented than the band’s last album, the new disc is a sonic punch in the face that proves that AFI’s lasting relevance is the only true constant in their career. Songs like “Veronica Sawyer Smokes” evoke a pop-punk version of the Smiths, while ominous ballads like “Okay, I Feel Better Now” show a newfound melodic sensibility could endear them to a whole new group of listeners. Thankfully, CRASH LOVE still contains plenty of AFI's aggressive energy, and anthemic songs like “Medicate” are reminiscent of the band’s previous material without sounding like they’re trying to recreate the past. While most acts at AFI’s level are lucky if they can achieve a lateral move with each successive release, CRASH LOVE is a confident step forward for the act, one that indicates they’ll be around long after today’s fleeting trends are forgotten. — Jonah Bayer

• 

  Adam_ArmsUp 3 of 5

  
  

  (Read this as a 3.5/5 review) It’s been three long years since AFI released Decemberunderground, an album which seemingly divided longtime AFI fans right down the middle, as well as gained them an enormous “nu” fan base. Following endless sold-out shows, a live DVD, and a side-project by half of the bands’ members, AFI is back with Crash Love. As a long-term AFI fan and one who didn’t enjoy Decemberunderground as well as many others, I was as excited as ever for Crash Love to be released. Now that it has dropped, I’ve got to say, I’m really on the fence with it. The hype for Crash Love, while not nearly as exaggerated as that for Decemberunderground, really got me pumped. In numerous interviews there were promises of a more Black Sails In The Sunset sound, or even a “proper” follow-up to the incredible Sing The Sorrow. To a long-term AFI fan, this sounded like a dream come true! Alas, when my first listening of the album finally took place, one thing struck me immediately – Davey’s voice had changed. While this wasn’t exactly a surprise – he had been singing with a much lower vocal register live for the past year or two – to hear it on an album was a bit overwhelming. In terms of vocals, it didn’t sound like AFI, and what’s more, there was NO SCREAMING. Musically, the album is great, apart from a few blunders here and there. However, it was obvious now, AFI was no longer any kind of Punk band, they were a full on Rock band. Jade’s guitar work is brilliant on songs like “Torch Song” and “End Transmission” (a beautiful song with Johnny Marr written all over it), and very subtly but suiting on songs like “Veronica Sawyer Smokes”. Hunter’s bass and Adam’s drums never fail to disappoint, and they never get enough credit. It has been my feeling over the past couple of years that they have been the tightest factor in AFI, especially in terms of live shows. Diving into the album… Crash Love really leaves me at a loss for words on how to describe it to you. Since Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes, AFI has started off every album with an intro track. To some, these songs are filler. To me they have always been a way to set the tone of the album, like an intro track should. Crash Love has no intro track, and accordingly, sets no mood for which the listener should expect throughout the album. This is my main gripe with the album: there is no continuity, and therefore no mood. Everything about the production is “shiny” and “cinematic”, but I only found myself “feeling” something from a couple of songs, and never back to back. The standout tracks on the album are, “Torch Song”, “End Transmission”, and “Sacrilege”, and all three of those songs are at least one song apart. “Torch Song” has a short segment of moody intro-music, but it does not flow into the next song, “Beautiful Thieves” (great chorus), which doesn’t flow at all into “End Transmission” (thanks to some annoying string play on the guitar after the song has “finished”). The next great track is “Sacrilege”, a whole five songs after “End Transmission”. “Sacrilege” is my personal favorite on the album, and what I would call the strongest track as a whole. I may be biased, as a long-term AFI fan, because it is the only song with any punk-roots showing. The drum intro is snappy, the guitar and bass snarl, and Davey’s voice is back to its old tricks – jeeze, I missed that whine! What’s more, the lyrics in “Sacrilege” are the most introspective lyrics on the album. This is really what the album is missing, Davey himself said he had written his least introspective lyrics to date, and it shows. Part of AFI’s mystique has always been the mystery surrounding the members. Past albums included lyrics with huge vocabularies that were near impossible to decipher. Crash Love sees the simplest lyrics to date, which are easily deciphered and applicable to anything. All in all, Crash Love is a good album. It’s simple and catchy, and everyone can find something to like about it. In comparison to their previous efforts, it is a bit of a letdown, but AFI always have their reasons, and I will remain a faithful fan, as I’m sure most will. Some final thoughts: The intro to “Too Shy To Scream” is one of the most horrendous compositions AFI has ever created, and “It Was Mine” is the most disappointing album closer in their catalogue. For “Begin Transmission contestants, winners, and followers”, “I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here” was a small disappointment. The winners’ backing vocals do not seem high-enough if the mix, which really detracts from the chorus. AFI’s star-status is definitely there, I only hope it doesn’t fall victim to the recording industry. If this really is the album they wanted to make, I can accept that with open arms, because at the end of the day it is a solid rock record.

3 months ago

• 

  FireFly1 purchased this item

4 months ago

• 

  wakeupthesleeper 2 of 5

  
  

  I'm re-writing this, because the original review I had all typed up made absolutely no sense, and it would be foolish to post a review that leaves you as confused as this album left me. Now, don't go and jump to conclusions, in no way am I saying "Crash Love" is bad. In fact, the album shows a definite growth. How I took to this album is no matter, in reality, the simplicity of the album is what makes it shine. I have yet to make it evident that I'm not exactly a fan of this record, but one song I really enjoyed was "Beautiful Thieves". Clearly, for whatever reason, "Medicate" is the first single, of course, one of the songs that just couldn't get through to me. The album itself left me confused and uncomfortable for whatever reason. Part of me liked it, but the other half was screaming "what the HELL are you thinking?" That is the best way for me to put my thoughts into words, honestly. I gave the album a 2/5 in my own personal opinion, but for the quality of the album it deserves at least a 3. I was rather disappointed. I didn't get the AFI effect in this album, the same dramatic undertone is there, but it's like their heart and soul just wasn't in it this time around.
• 

  Kunglu 4 of 5

  
  

  I lived with Crash Love for a few weeks before writing a review just so it wouldn't be a knee-jerk reaction to something different or what I had wanted the new AFI to sound like. First of all all the so called fans out there stop crying about "oh they don't sound like they did on (insert your favorite/first AFI album you heard)" Everything moves forward. If you want to hear Sing The Sorrow or Very Proud Of Ya, go put them on. Or better yet, go see the boys live, the way all music should be experienced. Yes this is a progression but to say it's not AFI is ridicules. The songs on Crash Love are beautiful. The boys seem to be channeling The Smith and The Cure a little more on this disc, but by way of themselves. At first the album seems more calm than other AFI efforts, but the fury is underling, always about to boil up from under the emotion of the songs. For my taste, the first single should have been End Transmission. An amazing song with such feeling and scope that you can help but get caught up in the passion of the song. This runs thru out the whole c.d.. Other stand outs are Torch Song, Veronica Sawyer Smokes, Beautiful Thieves and Sacrilege. But really the album on a whole does not disappoint. Is this one of AFI's classics? Only time will tell, but all I have to say is DON'T SLEEP ON THIS ALBUM!

5 months ago

• 

  BlackShadow purchased this item
• 

  xxP0IS0Nheart purchased this item
• 

  bboley purchased this item
• 

  rynomat_86 purchased this item
• 

  Adam_ArmsUp 3 of 5

  
  

  (Read this as a 3.5/5 review) It’s been three long years since AFI released Decemberunderground, an album which seemingly divided longtime AFI fans right down the middle, as well as gained them an enormous “nu” fan base. Following endless sold-out shows, a live DVD, and a side-project by half of the bands’ members, AFI is back with Crash Love. As a long-term AFI fan and one who didn’t enjoy Decemberunderground as well as many others, I was as excited as ever for Crash Love to be released. Now that it has dropped, I’ve got to say, I’m really on the fence with it. The hype for Crash Love, while not nearly as exaggerated as that for Decemberunderground, really got me pumped. In numerous interviews there were promises of a more Black Sails In The Sunset sound, or even a “proper” follow-up to the incredible Sing The Sorrow. To a long-term AFI fan, this sounded like a dream come true! Alas, when my first listening of the album finally took place, one thing struck me immediately – Davey’s voice had changed. While this wasn’t exactly a surprise – he had been singing with a much lower vocal register live for the past year or two – to hear it on an album was a bit overwhelming. In terms of vocals, it didn’t sound like AFI, and what’s more, there was NO SCREAMING. Musically, the album is great, apart from a few blunders here and there. However, it was obvious now, AFI was no longer any kind of Punk band, they were a full on Rock band. Jade’s guitar work is brilliant on songs like “Torch Song” and “End Transmission” (a beautiful song with Johnny Marr written all over it), and very subtly but suiting on songs like “Veronica Sawyer Smokes”. Hunter’s bass and Adam’s drums never fail to disappoint, and they never get enough credit. It has been my feeling over the past couple of years that they have been the tightest factor in AFI, especially in terms of live shows. Diving into the album… Crash Love really leaves me at a loss for words on how to describe it to you. Since Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes, AFI has started off every album with an intro track. To some, these songs are filler. To me they have always been a way to set the tone of the album, like an intro track should. Crash Love has no intro track, and accordingly, sets no mood for which the listener should expect throughout the album. This is my main gripe with the album: there is no continuity, and therefore no mood. Everything about the production is “shiny” and “cinematic”, but I only found myself “feeling” something from a couple of songs, and never back to back. The standout tracks on the album are, “Torch Song”, “End Transmission”, and “Sacrilege”, and all three of those songs are at least one song apart. “Torch Song” has a short segment of moody intro-music, but it does not flow into the next song, “Beautiful Thieves” (great chorus), which doesn’t flow at all into “End Transmission” (thanks to some annoying string play on the guitar after the song has “finished”). The next great track is “Sacrilege”, a whole five songs after “End Transmission”. “Sacrilege” is my personal favorite on the album, and what I would call the strongest track as a whole. I may be biased, as a long-term AFI fan, because it is the only song with any punk-roots showing. The drum intro is snappy, the guitar and bass snarl, and Davey’s voice is back to its old tricks – jeeze, I missed that whine! What’s more, the lyrics in “Sacrilege” are the most introspective lyrics on the album. This is really what the album is missing, Davey himself said he had written his least introspective lyrics to date, and it shows. Part of AFI’s mystique has always been the mystery surrounding the members. Past albums included lyrics with huge vocabularies that were near impossible to decipher. Crash Love sees the simplest lyrics to date, which are easily deciphered and applicable to anything. All in all, Crash Love is a good album. It’s simple and catchy, and everyone can find something to like about it. In comparison to their previous efforts, it is a bit of a letdown, but AFI always have their reasons, and I will remain a faithful fan, as I’m sure most will. Some final thoughts: The intro to “Too Shy To Scream” is one of the most horrendous compositions AFI has ever created, and “It Was Mine” is the most disappointing album closer in their catalogue. For “Begin Transmission contestants, winners, and followers”, “I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here” was a small disappointment. The winners’ backing vocals do not seem high-enough if the mix, which really detracts from the chorus. AFI’s star-status is definitely there, I only hope it doesn’t fall victim to the recording industry. If this really is the album they wanted to make, I can accept that with open arms, because at the end of the day it is a solid rock record.
• 

  whitcollins purchased this item
• 

  dontcallmejen purchased this item